Rotary engine.



PATENTED JUNE 2,1908.' G. H. CARTER. f

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. 1907.

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PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. Y

No. 889,439. y y

G. E. CARTER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. '7. 1907.

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No. 889,439. l EATENTED JUNE 2, 190s.

l G. E.. CARTER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 197.

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A TTOHNE YS No. 889,439. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. G. H- CARTER. RTARY ENGINE'.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. i907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE: GEORGE HEBER CARTER, OF NEW YORK, N. YI., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO THOMAS COLLINS, OE RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application led September 7, 1907. Serial No. 391,750.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HEBER OAR- TER, a subject of the King of England, residing at Richmond Hill, in the city of New York, borough and county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact specification.

This invention relates generally to fluid engines, and particularly to engines of the rotary type adapted to be-used either as rotary engines, pumps, or internal combustion engines, and the like.

The principal object of the invention, when used as a rotary steam engine, is to provide for continuous pressure on the rotary piston.

A further obj ect of the invention is to decrease to a minimum the friction between the moving parts, and particularly to facilitate the operation of the rotary abutments under pressure.

Other objects of the invention are generally to improve and sim lify the construction of rotary engines, as we l as to increase their efficiency in operation' and to decrease the expense attending their manufacture and use.

l/Vith the foregoing and 'other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly in elevation. Fig. 3

is a vertical section, partly in elevation,

taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. the line 6-6 of Eig. 2. Eig. 7 is a detail view of one of the antifriction devices.

Like reference numerals indicate correspending parts in the different figures of the drawing.

Referring to Fig. 1 in the drawing, the let- Fig. 6 is a sectional view on l ter A indicates the piston casing ,B the valve casing for controlling the supply of fluid ressure to the piston chamber g and O and the casings for the rotary abutments, which preferably are arranged at an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to each other.

As shown in Fig. 3, the piston casing A preferably is formed'in two halves 1 and 2, which are suitably secured together by means such as bolts 3. The casing A is formed internally with an annular piston chamber 5. The rotary piston is indicated generally by the letter E, and consists preferably of an approximately disk-shaped central portion 7, which contacts with the side walls of the piston casing A, as shown in Fig. 3, and is provided on the opposite faces thereof with annular ribs or packing members 8, which fit into suitable annular grooves in the inner faces of the casing A to prevent the escape of fluid pressure. In addition to the disk-shaped central portion 7, the rotary piston E includes a pair of oppositely disposed circular blades 9, which fit snugly into the annular piston chamber 5, which latter preferably is circular in cross-section. The disk-shaped central portion 7 and the blades 9 of the rotary piston E preferably are formed integral with each other, and said blades are formed with integral reinforcements 1() on the opposite faces thereof for strengthening the same. The rotary piston E is fixed to or formed integral with amain shaft 15, which extends through the casing A and is provided on opposite sides of the casing with collars 16, secured in place by set-screw 17 for preventing longitudinal movement of the shaft. The portion of the shaft 15 which extends through the casing A preferably is en larged, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 3.

As shown particularly in Fig. 2, each of the abutment casings C and D preferably is formed in two halves 2O and 21, which are bolted together around their peripheries by means such as bolt 22, and at their inner portions are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to flanges 23 formed integral with thev casing A. Extending transversely through. each of the abutment casings O and D, is an abutment shaft 25, which is mounted in bearings 26 and carries a rotary abutment 27. Each of the rotary abutments 27 projects partly into the piston chamber 5 of the casing A, and is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed blade-openings 23, each of which is slightly wider than the blades 9 of the rotary piston E, so that said blades can pass freely through the blade-openings in the abutments 27 during the rotation of the piston E. The two rotary abutments 27, as shown in Fig. 2, preferably are arranged at substantial right angles with respect to each other for the purpose of maintaining uniform pressure on the piston blades 9, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

For the purpose of alternately admitting pressure to the piston chamber 5 at different points, an inlet 30 is provided, which enters the piston chamber 5 at a point adjacent the abutment in the casing D, and an inlet 31 is provided which enters the piston chamber 5 at a point adjacent the abutment in the casing C. The inlet 30 communicates with a chamber 33 in the upper end of the valve casing B, and the inlet 31 communicates with a similar chamber 34 in the valve casing B. The chambers 33 and 34, as shown in Fig. 5, are separated from each other by a partition 35, which extends downward from the upper end of the valve casing B to a point about midway the upper and lower ends thereof. Disposed below chambers 33 and 34 and the partition 35, is a rotary valve 36, which preferably is disk-shaped and serves to close the lower ends of said chambers 33 and 3.4. Rotary valve 36, as shown in Fig. 5, is formed at one point with a circular opening 37, through which steam is alternately admitted from the lower end of the valve casing B to the chambers 33 and 34, from which it passes to the piston chamber 5. Fluid pressure is admitted to the lower end of the valve casing B by means such as the supply pipe 40. For the purpose of receiving the upward thrust `of the rotary valve 36, a thrust-bearing G 1s provided. The thrust-bearing G preferably comprises a plate 41, having a socket to re' ceive the pointed upper end 42 of the shaft 43 of the rotary valve 36. The plate 41 is held in position by means such as the bolts 44, which can be tightened up from time to time as the parts wear away. Coil springs 45 are provided betweenthe plate 41 and the upper end of the casing B to prevent rattling. The casing B preferably is formed in two parts which are secured together by means such as bolts 47. Valve 36 preferably is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, and the partition 35 preferably is of the cross-sectional shape shown in said figure, so as to cause each of the chambers 33 and 34 to be of the peculiar shape shown in Fig. 5, wherein each chamber is provided with one rounded and one approximately pointed end. As the valve 36 rotates in a clockwise direction in Fig. 5, the concave portion 50 of the partition 35 will cause the steam to be quickly shut off from the chamber 34, and as the rounded aperture 37 of said valve emerges from under the convex portion 51 of the partition 35, steam will be quickly admitted into the chamber 33.

Means are provided for causing each of the rotary abutments to make one complete revolution during each revolution of the piston E. The preferred means used for this purpose consists of shafts 55, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which are journaled upon the casing A and are provided with bevel gears 56 in mesh with a bevel gear 57, mounted upon the engine shaft l5, the outer end of which shaft preferably is supported by means of a brace 53 bolted to the casing A. The shafts 55 at their outer ends are provided with bevel gears 59, which mesh with suitable bevel gears upon intermediate shafts 60, j ournaled upon the casing The shafts 60 are adapted, through suitable bevel gears, to drive the abutment shafts 25 of the two abutments C and D, so as to cause each of the rotary abutments to rotate once during every complete rotation of the piston E.

Means are provided for causing the rotary valve 36 in the casing B to make two complete revolutions during each single revolution of the piston E, which means preferably consist of the shafts 65 and 66, shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 65 being rotated by a bevel gear 67 meshing with bevel gear 57 on the shaft 15. The shafts 65 and 66 are geared together by bevel gears 68, and the shaft 66 drives the shaft 43 of the valve 36 by means of the bevel gears 69, so that the valve 36, by means of the small size of the bevel gear 67 in Fig. 3, drives the valve 36 twice as fast as the piston E.

The exhaust or outlet from the piston chamber 5 of the casing A is indicated by the reference letter 70.

A series of peripheral grooves 75, shown in Fig. 2, are formed in the outer wall of the piston chamber 5, and extend from a point adjacent the inlet 3() to a point Aadjacent the outlet 70, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Constructed as described, the operation `of the engine is substantially as follows: YWhen the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the rotary abutment 27 in thc casing C is closed and the abutment in the casing D is about to open; that is to say, it is about to reach a position wherein one of `the bladeopenings 28 in said abutment will be in osition to permit the passage of one of the b ades 9 of the piston E through the abutment. The valve 36 in the valve casing B is in such position that the opening 37 therein admits pressure through the chamber 34 of the valve casing E, and inlet 31 to the space between the abutment C and the adjacent blade 9 of the piston E. The action of the steam pressure drives the left-hand blade 9 of the piston E downward about one-quarter of a revolution, and the abutment D opens to permit the passage therethrough of the right-hand blade 9, after which the abutment D closes. lVhen the right-hand blade 9 of the piston E has rotated upward about one-quarter Vof a revolution so as to bring it to a point just to the left of the inlet 30, the valve 36 in the valve casing B has closed the chamber 34 and has admitted pressure to the chamber 33 of the valve casing B, so that said pressure enters the piston chamber 5 through the inlet 30 at a point intermediate the abutment D and the blade 9 of the piston E, and drives said blade around through the bladeopening in the abutment C, after which the parts will again be in the position ,shown in Fig. 2, and the operation will be repeated. As the blades 9 of the piston E successively approach the exhaust pipe 70, the pressure is exhausted therethrough, It may be here explained that as the right-hand blade 9 of the piston E passes through the blade-opening in the abutment D, the pressure which has remained in the space between the abutments C and D from the preceding operation will escape along the groove 75 and through the blade-opening in the abutment D to the exhaust 70.

By providing two rotary abutments C and D at substantial right angles to each other, a continuous pressure on the blades 9 ofthe piston E is maintained, for the reason that as the pressure ceases to' act on one blade of the piston, it begins to act on the other blade. A serious disadvantage of fluid engines employing rotary abutments is that excessive friction has to be overcome in rotating the abutments while pressure is upon them. It is an important object of the present invention to reduce the friction on the moving abutments while under pressure by means of suitable anti-friction devices. The antifriction devices which I prefer to employ are constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 7

v of the drawing, and they each comprise a substantially cylindrical block 80, having one face S1 slightly flattened. Mounted to rotate in a suitable depression in the block S0 is a substantially conical roller or anti-friction member 82, a portion of which projects slightly over the flattened face 81 of the block 80. As indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, suitable block-receiving apertures of subi stantially the same cross-sectional shape as the blocks 80, are drilled in the wall of the piston chamber 5 at points along the radially extending slots through which the rotary abutments 27 pass, and the blocks 80 are set into these apertures and securely fastened therein, so that the rollers 82 will contact with the non-pressure-receiving faces of the abutments C and D at the points thereof which extend within the piston chamber,

thereby facilitating the movements of the rotary abutments under pressure and reduceach of the anti-friction rollers 82 in the various blocks S0 is so arranged that its axis will be readily arranged with respect to the center of the rotary abutment. The conical shape of the various rollers corresponds with the differential surface speed of the abutments, so that there will be no twisting action on the anti-friction rollers due to the fact that the portions of the abutments near the centers thereof travel at greater speed than the portions of the abutments nearer the periphery.

The device ofthe present invention is strong, simple, durable, inexpensive in construction, as well as thoroughly efficient in operation. It is adapted for various uses, as a rotary steam engine, a pump, internal combustion engine, and the like.

What is claimed is:

l. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber,

and a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said chamber at approximate right angles with respect to each other, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism with the axis of the piston.

2. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, and a pair of rotary abutments projecting partly into said piston chamber and having oppositely disposed openings therein for the passage of the blades of said piston, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism with the axis of said piston.

3. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, and a pair of rotary abutments projecting partly into said piston chamber and having oppositely disposed openings therein for the passage of the blades of said piston, said rotary abutments being arranged at approximate right angles with respect to each other.

4. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, a pair of rotary abutments extending partially into said piston chamber at right angles to each other, each of said abutments having a pair of oppositely disposed blade openings therein, and means for rotating each abutment once during each complete rotation of the piston.

5. A rotary engine comprising an annular 65 ing the friction. It will be understood that l ments.

6. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a piston in said chamber, a rotary abutment projecting into said piston chamber, and mechanical anti-friction means for facilitating the movement of said abutment.

7. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a piston in said chamber, a movable abutment projecting partially into said piston chamber, and mechanical anti-friction means on the side of-said abutment opposite the pressure face thereof for facilitating its movement. i

8. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a piston in said chamber, a movable abutment projecting partially into said piston chamber, and anti-friction means on the side of said abutment opposite the pressure face thereof for facilitating its movement, said anti-friction means contacting with said abutment at the portion thereof Which projects into the piston chamber.

9. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a piston in said chamber, a rotary abutment projecting into said piston chamber, and anti-friction rollers in said piston chamber contacting with the portion of said rotary abutment Which projects into said piston chamber.

10. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a piston in said chamber, a rotary abutment projecting into said piston chamber, blocks mounted adjacent the interior of said piston chamber, and anti-friction devices carried by said blocks and contacting With the portion of said rotary abutment which projects into said piston chamber.

11. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber having a radially extending abutment slot, and block-receiving apertures adjacent said slot, a piston in said chamber, a rotary abutment projecting into said radial abutment slot, blocks Jfitted into said blockreceiving apertures, and anti-friction devices mounted in said blocks and contacting with the non-pressure side of said abutment.

12. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism With the axis of said piston, said abutments having blade openings therein, a pair of pressure inlets to said casing, one of said inlets being disposed adjacent one abutment and the other of said inlets adjacent the other abutment, and means for alternately admitting pressure through said inlets to said piston chamber.

1S. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism With the axis of said piston, said abutments having blade openings therein, a pair of pressure inlets to said casing, one of said inlets being disposed adjacent one abutment and the other of said inlets adjacent the other abutment, and a valve for alternately admitting pressure through said inlets to said piston chamber.

14. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary piston in said chamber having a pair of oppositely disposed blades, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism With the axis of said piston, said abutments having blade openings therein, a pair of pressure inlets to said casing, one of said inlets being disposed adjacent one abutment and the other of said inlets adjacent the other abutment, and a rotary valve for alternately admitting pressure through said inlets to said piston chamber.

15. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber having a plurality of grooves in one portion thereof, a piston having oppositely disposed blades, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, one of said abutments being disposed adjacent the grooves in said piston chamber, and means for alternately admitting pressure to said piston chamber at different points.

16. A rotary engine having an annular piston chamber, a rotary piston having oppositely disposed blades arranged to travel in said annular piston chamber, rotary abutments extending into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism with the axis of said piston, inlets extending into said piston chamber at points adjacent said rotary abutments, and a valve for alternately admitting pressure to said inlets.

17. A rotary engine having an annular piston chamber, a rotary piston having an approximately disk-shaped central portion and oppositely disposed blades arranged on the periphery of said disk-shaped central portion, said blades being disposed in said annular piston chamber7 right-angularly disposed rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber and having blade openings therein, the axes of said abutments being out of 'parallelism With the axis of said piston7 and means for alternately admitting pressure at different points to said piston chamber.

1S. A rotary engine comprising an annular piston chamber, a piston having an approximately disk-shaped central portion provided with annular packing ribs, and oppositely disposed blades arranged on the periphery of said disk-shaped central portion, said blades being disposed in said piston chamber,

a pair of right-angularly disposed rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber and having blade o enings therein, and means for alternately a mitting pressure to said piston chamber at different points.

19. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a rotary piston having oppositely dis posed blades in said piston cham er, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber and having blade Openings therein, a valve casing, a partition in said valve casing, said partition having a pair oi openings therein, each of said openings having one end rounded and the other end substantially pointed, a rotary valve in said casing adjacent said partition, said valve having a circular opening therein, an inlet connecting one of the openings of said partition with said piston chamber adjacent one of said abutments, an inlet connecting the other opening of said partition with said piston chamber adjacent the other abutment, and means for supplying I'luid pressure to said valve casing.

20. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber, a double-bladedA rotary piston in said piston chamber, a pair of right-angularly disposed abutments extending into said piston chamber, the axes of said abutments being out of parallelism withthe aXis of said piston, a rotary valve 'for alternately su lying pressure to said piston chamber at (iii'ien ent points, and means for receiving the end thrust of said rotary valve.

21. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a piston having oppositely disposed blades in said piston chamber, a pair of rotary abutments projecting into said piston chamber at approximate right angles to each other, and each having a pair of oppositely disposed blade openings therein, and gearing connecting said piston and said rotary abutments for giving each abutment one complete rotation during each complete rotation of the piston.

22. A rotaryv engine comprising a piston chamber, a rotary iston having a pair of oppositely disposed b ades in said piston chamber, a pair of rotary abutments having blade openings, a rotary valve 'for supplying pressure alternately at two different points in said piston chamber, and means for impartingv tov said valve two complete rotations during each rotation of said piston.

28. A rotary engine having a piston chamber, a piston provided witha pair of oppositely disposed blades in said piston chamber, a pair of rotary abutments, each having two oppositely disposed blade openings therein, means Jfor rotating each of said abutments once during each rotation of said piston, a

rotary valve for alternately admitting steam A to said piston chamber at different points therein, and means Jfor rotating said valve twice during each rotation of said piston.

24. A rotary engine comprising a piston chamber having a plurality of grooves at one portion thereof, a pair of right-angularly disposed rotary abutments, each having a pair' oi' oppositely disposed blade openings therein, one of said abutments being disposed adjacent the grooves in said piston chamber, arotary piston having apair of opositely disposed blades in said piston chamer, a pair of inlets to said piston chamber, one of said inlets being disposed adjacent each of said rotary abutments, and means Jfor alternately admitting pressure to said inlets.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE HEBER CARTER.

Witnesses:

GEORGEE. PHELPs, CLAUDE C. NEVILLE. 

